The best way these days is what we call a "man-machine mix". We have computer models that forecast five to six days ahead and take observations from all around the world, using mathematical equations to forecast the weather elements at time steps of about every six hours.

We run the model four times a day; at midnight, 6am, midday and 6pm. The computer uses temperature, relative humidity, pressure, wind speed and wind direction. Land observations in each country are gathered and then there's a global exchange of weather information across the world.

We use satellites for temperature sensing through the atmosphere. From the waves over the oceans the satellite can also detect the surface wind speed and direction. We have buoys that are let off in various ocean currents and we pick up the observations. We also still use balloons around the UK. We send one up about four times a day. It goes up with a package of instruments. Most are completely automatic.

I'm involved in medium-range forecasting. I produce the forecast charts from two to six days ahead. I've been in the Met Office 40 years. It's changed a lot. When I started we actually plotted the observations on a chart in two different colours of ink and the weather signs were hand-drawn.

John Millard, public weather service forecaster, Met Office

We've got one of the biggest computers in Europe; it can perform millions of calculations and it makes our job a lot easier. Most of the job is computer-based. To forecast the weather we look at weather buoys, ships, ground-based observations and satellite and radar pictures. All of these things are fed into a computer model which produces a forecast. But you need to be careful you don't take the computer as gospel.

We do 12-hour shifts. People always want to know the forecast and one of the busiest periods is early morning. So we need people here overnight to get the forecasts ready for the morning. It's very hard to tell across the UK because we've got such a changeable climate but the official line is that we can expect more severe storms and an increase in temperature due to global warming. I'd suggest just from my own experience that that's probably right.

My main client is the government; they fund my position. We're asked to provide a brief weather forecast for the general public on our website. We also provide a severe weather warning service so the emergency services and local councils are aware, hopefully in advance, of bad weather coming. The weather is much more detailed the closer you are to your starting point. I'm involved in short-range forecasting. So I can say in more detail where showers are likely to be.

The Met Office has forecasters across the UK at RAF bases, but most forecasters are based at Exeter.